Tulsīdās
Tulsīdās (तुलसीदास, born Rambola Dubey, 11 August 1511 – 30 July 1623) was a Vaishnava (Ramanandi) Hindu saint and Awadhi poet who composed the Rāmcharitmānas — the retelling of the Rāmāyaṇa in Awadhi Hindi — and the Hanumāncalisā, one of the most recited Hindu devotional poems. He is regarded as one of the greatest literary figures in the Hindi language.
Life/History
Tulsīdās, popularly known as Goswami Tulsīdās, was born in the village of Rajapur (in present-day Uttar Pradesh). According to tradition, he was a Brahmin who was separated from his parents at a young age and endured great hardship before finding his calling in devotion to Rama.
He was a devotee in the Ramanandi tradition and spent much of his life in Varanasi and Ayodhya, where he composed the Rāmcharitmānas. The work is traditionally dated to 1574 CE (Vikram Samvat 1631). The Tulsi Ghat on the Ganges in Varanasi is named after him; he founded the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple in Varanasi, believed to stand at the place where he had a vision of Hanuman, and is credited with starting the Ramlila folk-theatre plays based on the Ramayana.
Teachings/Contributions
Tulsīdās’s masterwork, the Rāmcharitmānas (literally “Lake of the Deeds of Rama”), is an Awadhi Hindi retelling of the Sanskrit Rāmāyaṇa:
- It narrates the life of Lord Rama from birth to coronation
- It incorporates philosophical dialogues on devotion, dharma, and liberation
- It is written in the Chaupai meter, making it accessible to common readers
- It remains the most widely read version of the Rāmāyaṇa in North India
His other major works include:
- Hanumāncalisā — a 40-verse hymn to Hanuman, recited across India
- Vinay Patrika — a collection of devotional poems addressed to various deities
- Kavitāvalī — verses on the life of Rama
- Dohāvalī — miscellaneous verses on devotion and philosophy
Legacy
The Rāmcharitmānas is one of the most popular versions of the Rāmāyaṇa in North India. It is recited in temples and households across the Hindi-speaking world. The Hanumāncalisā is perhaps the most widely recited Hindu prayer. Tradition holds that Tulsīdās was a reincarnation of Valmiki, the original composer of the Sanskrit Rāmāyaṇa.
Verification notes
- Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026).
- Dates and birth name (Rambola Dubey, 11 Aug 1511 – 30 July 1623) per Wikipedia; Sankat Mochan Temple, Tulsi Ghat and Ramlila attributions per Wikipedia.
- Tulsīdās’s biographical details come from his own autobiographical verses and traditional accounts.
- The Hanumāncalisā and Vinay Patrika are preserved in numerous manuscripts.
- The Rāmcharitmānas has been translated into numerous languages and is one of the most widely published works in Indian literature.